Continuous advancement in fabrication techniques involving photomasks requires ever increasing inspection thoroughness. In the prior art, photomasks have been mainly inspected from a single side. Having inspection devices capable of inspecting a photomask from both sides significantly increases inspection possibilities. Inspecting photomasks from both sides in an efficient and space saving fashion requires a specifically configured mechanical device. Therefore, there exists a need for a photomask flipper simple and reliable in design and configured for assembly within an inspection device such as a semiconductor metrology tool. The present invention addresses this need.